almond-oat shortcake with local berries

It's been awhile ... let's not dwell on the past, but look forward to more posts from me in the future. I've missed it here.

Summer: I love you.
Swimming pools, cocktails, icy-cold popsicles, 70s rock on the stereo, sun-warmed skin. Heaven.

Let's celebrate the peak of corn season and the first blush of tomato season with some good-looking dishes:

1/ Tomato, Pickled Melon, and Burrata Salad

2/ Corn and Fregola with Grilled Halloumi Cheese

3/ Corn, Spring Onion and Ricotta Tart

4/ Toast with Tomato-Butter and Marjoram


Here's what we're eating this week:
Monday: pulled pork sandwiches with crisp cole slaw / corn on the cob
Tuesday: tomato crostata with a crunchy-cool chopped salad
Wednesday: zucchini and corn pasta with cream, chiles and basil
Thursday: chipotle-braised chicken tacos with avocado, red onion and cilantro
Friday: on the road ...

Grapes in our yard!

Sorry for the radio silence. Summer was busy, busy and we were having too much fun!

Here’s a song to kick off the weekend.

Made this delectable (and dead-simple) for dessert with two of my favorite ladies last week. There may have been some bubbly served as well – #weeknightgirlsnight. #mustdoitmoreoften

Brrr, it’s cold out. Not ready, but here are two stews that need to be made when it's actually autumn:

1/ Asian pork stew 

2/ Beef Rendang



 

 

 

 

We ate at Tory Miller's new noodle house, Sujeo; some highs and lows on the menu, but the pork curry and the pan-fried BBQ pork noodles were spot on. According to Mr. Klein, the Sichuan Beef Tongue salad was one of the best salads ever eaten ... Top 5. Plus, the place is just fun. Don't go looking for a serious, L'Etoile meal.

Covetable: I would wear every piece of Michael Kor’s Spring 2015 RTW collection

Made these for our recent German sausage fest J … so good. Mustard is a must.

We have lots of fun planned this weekend: Romeo & Juliet at American Players Theatre, my little bro and fabulous sister-in-law are in town (brings back such good memories of when we just moved to Madison!), soccer game for Rhys, and Sunday is the official last day of summer (and my 8th, 30th birthday).

If you don't have plans, but want to do something fun: the 16th annual Food for Thought Festival is Saturday morning adjacent to the Dane County Farmers' Market. It's a great event with delicious food and fun for kiddos and adults, alike.

Happy eating, -s. 

 

Heading to the Union Terrace tonight for burgers and Babcock ice cream (and maybe a beer or two) …

Get your dancing shoes on: a song to start the weekend.

There’s just so much tasty goodness to be shared. I’ll cut right to the chase:

Kevin Gillespie was my favorite Top Chef contestant ever … he’s killing it with this recipe. His cookbook looks amazing too …

This may be James’s upcoming birthday cake …

For breakfast soon

Sandwich heaven

Waiting patiently for tomato season to make this sexy little salad:

Eggs, Swiss chard and tortillas: dinner this week.

Quote of the week:
It isn't the great big pleasures that count the most; it's making a great deal out of the little ones. –Jean Webster

Happy eating, -s.

"Slow down, you move too fast/ You got to make the morning last.
Just kicking down the cobblestones/ Looking for fun and feelin' groovy."
− The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)", Simon & Garfunkel

 I love this song for many reasons: 1) it was the first song I learned to play on the guitar and I can still just barely play it; 2) it captures what I am feeling this summer – SLOW DOWN; and 3) it’s Simon and Garfunkel  − love them. 

 

We’re midstream into patio sipping season; here’s five recipes to try:
 

1/ The classic daiquiri: not in a blender, dear.
2/ Everything Smitten Kitchen makes is mouthwatering: Limonada de coco.
3/ The delicious − not matter how old you are −Dole Whip … now you don’t need to go to Disney for one.
4/ The raspberry snakebite: make it local with New Glarus Brewing’s delicious Raspberry Tart lambic-style ale.
5/ Hello, gorgeous: a grown-up slushie.


Great article: Bon Appetit takes on the cupcake craze

I want to eat this all day long

perfect pesto: the blanching makes this the real deal

As the temperature rises: Cook's Illustrated takes cold-brew coffee down to a science ... don't forget that pinch of salt.

How "tight" is your state? A paper recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, proposes a sweeping theory to explain this phenomenon. Most striking of all, the authors found "a negative and linear relationship between tightness and happiness" among citizens. Put simply: People in loose states are happier. (Keep "keeping loose" Wisconsin!)

Genius: wish I had it @ (the new) pizza man last weekend for that amazing rosé we had!

I can't wait ... I'm such a nerd and finished rereading all of the books in this series last year (read first in high school/college). Mr. Klein calls them prehistoric porn. He's kind of right; a bit trashy, but copiously researched as well ... Titillating news nonetheless (wink). 

Finally, no better way to sign off than this:

"Got no deeds to do/ No promises to keep.
I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep.
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me.
Life, I love you / All is groovy."

Happy eating, -s.

lake mendota looking lovely

 

I’ve been stretched really thin the last few months.  I feel like my patience gets even more stretched out when I’m stressed, which is SO unfair to the three boys I live with (sorry, guys). It seems like the more I take on, the harder it is to say no to other things. As summer is just barely starting, but feels almost over at the same time, I need to say “no” to more things that add stress and complications and “yes” to more fun, more relaxing, more stress-free activities. Especially when summer just isn’t long enough here! Here’s to easy, breezy summer fun.

An oldie but a goodie to kick off the weekend.

Bananas! My favorite fruit – so versatile. It can go sweet and savory. It’s portable. It’s great for a hangover and goes perfect with peanut butter. What more can I say, except check out these beauties:

 

banana meringue pudding

1/ Banana Meringue Pudding

 

2/ Frozen Peanut Butter, Chocolate, and Banana Loaf

 

3/ Chocolate Banana Pudding

 

4/ Banana Tartes Tatin

 

5/ Banana Black-Bean Empanadas – a long-time favorite and kiddo approved.

 

 

Popsicles, Paletas, Ices – sophisticated popsicles that are popping up all over the place. Here’s a few I’m going to make for days too hot to eat anything else:

 

1/ Anyone from Southern California knows their Date shake … here it is in frozen form:

 

2/ Just in time for strawberry season:

 

3/ Perfect summertime use of my Rancho Gordo Mexican chocolate:

 

4/ Ginger + Watermelon­­= refreshing:

 

 

Coveting: Serena and Lily’s outdoor collection. Goodness.

 

 

Quote of the week:

My doctor told me I had to stop throwing intimate dinners for four unless there are three other people. ­– Orson Welles

 

Happy eating, -s.

Hello, lovelies!

The weekend is here. Let’s Dance to Pickle’s favorite song of the moment … or is it this now?

Rhubarb=love.

I have some leftover rice flour from my horchata-making for Cinco de Mayo … must make these now; holy smokes they look too, too good.

My love for eggs is well-known. Check out smitten kitchen’s truly food-pornographic ode to eggs.

Love and Lemon’s pickled chard stems: So pretty. So practical. So delicious on tacos, ricotta toasts, folded into egg salad ...

Happy weekend, -s.

 

if only traveling with these two were so easy!

With two youngsters, we don't eat out a lot. Pizza Brutta is our go-to spot, but most days we eat at home. Heading out on vacation soon, I'm trying to wrap my mind around the idea of not being able to whip something up when a craving hits, or everyone is hungry RIGHT NOW, so scrambled eggs are whisked up — and then inhaled — on the spot. No pantry full of goodies to make muffins or cookies or chocolate pudding. No blender for smoothies at 3 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon.

I know we’ll be fine and I’ll enjoy the break from the kitchen, but when you have kids — hungry ones at that — food is often the source of instant relief, instant calm, instant fixes. For our travel days getting us from point A to point B, I’ve come up with some snacks and emergency rations that will get us through the rough spots and make us feel less far away from home. Most are packable and not too messy for the car and plane. I wanted things that were wholesome, but also had the air of a “treat” since that is ultimately what we’re going for when we’re stuck in a seat for 4 hours. Since we’re not a family that hits the fast-food lanes (at all), a little planning and preparation will (hopefully) keep everyone smiling … or at least not crying.

My picks for traveling treats:
Oat cakes — great with red grapes and cheddar cheese
Oatmeal-carrot cookies — it’s a cookie, so it has that going for it.
Pumpkin mini-muffins — my go-to recipe, but in mini form.
With these homemade items, I’ll throw in some carrot sticks, mandarins, nuts and dried fruit.

Happy eating … and traveling, -s.